Hiding In Your Arms
by xsillylovesongs
Summary: 'None of us want you here, We're only doing this for the Order, Mudblood' 'Don't call her that' 'What? 'You heard me, don't call Granger that..' In a world filled with hatred, Can two find love?
1. Decisions

[ **Hiding In Your Arms** ]

Fandom; Harry Potter

Pairing; Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger

Summary; 'None of us want you here, We're only doing this for the Order, Mudblood' 'Don't call her that' 'What? 'You heard me, don't call Granger that..' In a world filled with hatred, Can two find love?

Rating; M

Fic; Multi Fic

Disclaimer; I do not own the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling does.

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><p><em>This is the way you've left me<em>

_I'm not pretending_

_No hope, no love, no glory_

_No happy ending._

It was like she was floating, in a world of sublime and utter beauty. The sky was a brilliant blue, no not blue, rather a perfect and wondrous aqua colour that only the finest of eyes could appreciate. The stream of sky appeared broken only by the sun's rays; glinting and perfect in their splendour. The odd cloud dotted the beautiful heavens, but it didn't pale its beauty, if anything it reinforced it; the mere white wisp here and their added to the unavoidable divine characteristics of the sky in front of her. Many people would scoff and only see a chunk of blue above them, however she only saw beauty of an untouched world as she looked above.

"When do we have to leave?" Harry's voice quickly jerked her out of her beautiful daydream and she moved with a start at his words. Her unfocused eyes suddenly became alert as she sat upwards, and she shifted quickly before muttering an answer under her breath in a response to his question. She suddenly wished that she had remained in her earlier state and that Harry had not interrupted the beautiful wanderings of her mind, however she regretfully knew that now she was back in the real world she had to remain their.

"A few days I believe" Hermione spoke softly, a smile ghosting her lips as she spoke. A few more days before they three of them were thrown into the unknown. To say she was pessimistic about the situation would have been a down play, Hermione was feeling incredibly negative towards the upcoming situation; they were three teenagers for gods sake, in her opinion they really didn't stand a chance. However she didn't voice that particular opinion; Harry was ridiculously optimistic and Ron? Well he seemed to go along with anything anyone said now days.

Harry nodded at her words and as Hermione glanced up at him she frowned. He appeared so much older than his years but then again so did she, and Ron. The war had done that to them; in fact the war had done that to most. It had made them all grow up and thus it had made them all seem much mature than they actually were. It was a hard life really, growing up in the middle of the war, Hermione knew she had some emotional scars that would never heal.

A small sigh left Hermione's lips but it didn't break the silence. The silence between the three of them was something she had become accustomed to of recent. It appeared the three of them couldn't laugh as they once had. With the looming fate of the horcrux search hanging over them; well it seemed impossible to have fun now. Who could have fun in knowing the fate of thousands rested on their hands? Who on earth could laugh and smile when they knew how much pressure was on them? All that Hermione knew was that she hadn't laughed in what seemed like weeks and fun seemed like a distant memory now.

Fun. The last she could remember of that was within the first few weeks with Ron. She near laughed at that, but not a real laugh, instead a mere bitter laugh; a laugh that would hold no joy, instead cynicism and hollowness. Her relationship with Ron had been building up for years, and when they had finally got it together; in the previous summer it had fizzled out in weeks. It appeared they weren't right for one another, perhaps Hermione was too frigid for Ron's taste? Or he to boring for hers? Either way it hadn't lasted, and it accounted for the small amount of awkwardness that had set between the two of them.

Her eyes began to glaze over and she could feel herself setting back into her previous state; the state which she had become familiar with. She often drifted off now days, into her dream world as she called it. She didn't ever dream of people or places, instead she just dreamed of an untouched world. A world that had not felt Voldemorts hands, a world that was beautiful and thriving, instead of saddened and dark. She wished most days for that world to come back but she knew that was merely that; wishing.

A small noise broke her out of her near daze, and she realized Harry and Ron had began speaking. Talking about plans for this search no doubt. A small sigh again left her lips as she ran her fingertips through her curls; her hair was pulled back into a ponytail per usual but she still enjoyed running her fingers through them from time to time, she remembered when Ron had run his hands through her hair whilst kissing her and oddly she shuddered at that particular memory. To say her time with Ron had been bad would have been an understatement.

They had argued on a constant, and more than once they had thrown things at one another. A particular memory surfaced to mind and Hermione nearly laughed, it was when she didn't have her wand on hand and instead of searching for it she had merely thrown a book at his head, she smiled at the memory and ignored the glance Harry gave her; better he not know about her cynical and bitter thoughts over her failed relationship with Ron.

"Hermione we were just saying about where we should go first" Harry spoke again, his eyes flickering over to her. "Did you have any thoughts about where we should head to?" He asked clearly desperate to pull her from her current thoughts and back into the plans of the near future.

"Well" Hermione began, ignoring the roll of Ron's eyes as she turned to Harry, the memory of Ron's facial expression as the book soared through the air towards him still prominent in her mind.

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><p>"You're probably wondering why we called you three here today" Lupins voice rung high over the group crowded around the small, worn table at the Burrow. Everyone appeared to be sat their, just waiting to hear what Lupin had to say; Hermione was surprised that herself, Ron and Harry were invited to the order meeting, of course it must have been important; otherwise the three of them would be in another room plotting, not at the Orders meeting in which not many were allowed to attend.<p>

"And the reason for that is not to discourage you of your plans to wonder" He spoke again his voice strong and firm "Though we have tried" He said and though the quip meant jokingly, no one laughed, the faces across the table all held frowns and Hermione knew it would take a lot to make them disappear. Everyone seemed to have frowns on their faces now days, smiles were a thing of the past. "No instead, we are here to tell you about something that's come up, something that affects one of you directly"

Hermione was barely listening now, which she knew was bad off her. Though she still held the strong fierceness within her when it came to battle, she knew the information would probably be about Harry, when was it not about Harry? Hermione felt no bitterness in her best friend being the constant centre of attention. In fact she was happy as the side runner, unlike Ron, who she knew constantly hated the idea that Harry was more important than him.

A small shock came through her as Lupin spoke her name, and she noticed everyone's glance appeared to shift to stare at her. She sat up slightly, her eyes now filled with curiosity and not boredom. What could be about her? She bit down on her lip softly, her eyes wider before she spoke. "What's happened? "The two words were simple but then again she knew Lupin would explain everything to her.

"A new committee has come into view" Lupin paused for a moment, it was clear he did not wish to be the one to tell her all of this, but he knew he had to. "The Muggle Born Elimination committee" He said a small noise of disgust leaving his lips as others began to gasp. It was clear without even explaining the grounds of this group what they did from the name alone. Hermione's eyes fluttered shut and she shook her head, what had the world come to?

Even though she already knew the grounds for this group, Lupin continued to explain "It's a committee set up by You Know Who, a committee of death eaters going door to door and taking Muggle Born's" He said shaking his head as Hermione had previously. "The public think nothing of it because well they're scared and no one can do anything about it"

Hermione nodded, of course people were hiding away from the fact that Muggle Borns were being captured and taken from thin air. Who would say anything? Everyone were looking out for themselves now, and no one even bothered to look out for friends, never mind strangers. A small sad sigh left Hermione's lips and oddly she welcomed Harry's arm over her back, resting her head on his shoulder as she did so. She could tell Ron wasn't pleased by this action but to say she didn't care would be true, she had long given up on caring what Ron thought.

"They're keeping tracks on everyone Hermione" Tonks spoke then, her voice no longer chirpy but grave as her hand-held Lupin's across the table. "For you to disappear, it would put all of us at danger" She said, Hermione could tell she wanted to speak further but instead Hermione somewhat rudely cut her off to speak.

"I have to stay don't I" She said, her head nearly buried in Harry's shoulder as she spoke, her words muffled. She shook her head as the tears formed, however instead of letting them fall as she wanted to, she bit her lip hard and held them back. She would not cry over these people. Her hand gripped the front of Harry's shirt and she took a deep breath to compose herself before shrugging of his arm and standing straight, her eyes filled with tears that she simply refused to shed. "I realize I have to stay, for the good of others, I have to remain behind"

Lupin moved to stand up then, his eyes filled with grief. Hermione didn't want his grief, she didn't want people feeling sorry that she had to stay behind for others. She shook her head at him and he seemed to understand, official details and all of that could be held back for a few days to allow Hermione to adjust to this news, Lupin could at least give her that, could he not?

"I'm going to bed" She said, her voice raw. She turned around then, and moved straight out of the room, her footsteps quick as she escaped; she could already feel the tears on her cheeks as she ran up the stairs to her bedroom. She shoved passed an eavesdropping Ginny without comment, before throwing herself into her bedroom, one slammed door later and she was sinking against the back of the door, her hand gripping the wall as she fell to the floor, tears now clouding her vision. She wanted to yell, scream, damn she wanted to just sob, however she waited until she could reach for her wand. She fumbled as she picked it up, her non verbal silencing spell quickly casting over the area before she dropped it, the sound silenced to the outside world as were her sobs, as she rested her head against the wall and simply screamed her heart out.

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><p>It had been a week, one week since the news had come to Hermione. The earth shattering, heart wrenching news that her two best friends would be leaving her behind on their search. Everyone insisted it were for her own safety, but she knew that was rubbish. Hermione wasn't stupid, far from it actually and to think she would be safer at home? She found that highly unlikely. She was only doing this for others, to keep others safe, if others hadn't been in danger she would have ignored the news and headed off with Harry and Ron as planned, but she couldn't; no she wouldn't do that to others.<p>

In the past week she had continued to help Harry and Ron, giving them books and map routes she had prepared. After the first night of crying she had not allowed herself any more moments alone other than sleep, she didn't want to be alone with her saddened thoughts; if anything they hurt her more. She was determined to set Harry and Ron up with everything they needed for the trip they would now undertake without her.

She was now sat with them, going over book after book, sat around the Burrow table. No one spoke as they combed through texts they had all read thousands of times, though they all knew the time was coming to an end. Hermione had heard them chatting away only a day ago, oblivious to the fact that she was listening in on them. She knew they planned to leave tonight, and the thought terrified her, that for once she would actually be alone, she would be alone in the middle of the war, without her two best friends.

Night came far too fast, Hermione willed the clock back but she knew from years and years of wishful thinking that willing things never made them so. Soon enough however Ron and Harry were packing up their things ready to go, Hermione didn't leave the table, however now she didn't even read the book in front of her, she just stared at a passage, not even taking it in as Harry and Ron said their goodbyes to the others.

"Hermione" She heard Ron's voice and she stood up quickly, her eyes clouded with tears once more. He pulled her into a somewhat awkward hug but she hugged him back still, her eyes misting over as she held him close before releasing him moments later. Then she turned to Harry and their eyes connected before Harry stepped into her embrace. She hugged him quickly holding him close. Harry was like a dear brother to her and she couldn't contemplate a year without him. She sobbed softly into his jacket and he only squeezed her tighter against him before he had to regretfully let her go. She shook her head and hugged him again pulling a choked sob from his lips, she didn't want to leave him and yet she knew she had to let him go.

"I love you both" She said her hands shaking, the words coming from her lips as tears streaked her cheeks, the promise not to cry seemed in the distance as tears fell from her eyes. How was she meant to contain this? Her two best friends were about to walk out on her and it killed her, even their mutterings of 'Love yous' to her did nothing to still pain. She nodded at their words and pulled them both close once more as they promised to keep in touch. She knew they would do no such thing due to security, she could hope for the odd letter but she guessed she wouldn't get much in their time away.

Hermione held them close still, her hands dropping as they stepped back to leave. "Goodbye" She spoke, tears forming once more as she placed a kiss to Ron's cheek and then Harry's ignoring however awkward it may have been. She could barely look as they left the door of the Burrow, she didn't dare follow them as others did to see them apparate. Instead she turned back around, resting her hands on the table, her body shaking as sobs continued to shake through her.

She was suddenly jerked out of her sobbing by Lupins voice, couldn't they just let her cry? Wasn't she allowed to have mere moments to be human? Who else wouldn't cry at the departure of their dearest friends? But no Hermione was not allowed to cry, instead she had to deal with this easily so to save others per usual. It felt like Hermione had sacrificed a lot to save others but that was just the kind of person she was, she wasn't cruel enough to only think of herself.

Straight away she knew what Lupin wished to discuss. He had cornered her about it just over two days ago. She had guessed as a Muggle Born she would not be able to stay with Weasleys, she hadn't even hoped to stay. Hope she found was far too dangerous when it came to war. Hope was the emotion that could kill people as easily as a death eater could. Lupin had simply told her she would have to go into hiding, Hermione didn't like the idea of hiding it seemed cowardly to her and as a Gryffindor she wasn't a coward, no matter in war.

"Yes?" She spoke, her voice a whisper. She seemed a mere shadow of herself now days, since the news that she had to stay she had barely eaten, causing her hair to become lank, and her skin pale. It may have only been a week but there was something different about her attitude and the way she seemed, she just seemed off. "I know I have to leave today, don't I?" She spoke turning to look across at Lupin, swallowing down her tears, along with every other emotion that screamed through her entire body and mind.

"Yes" He paused shaking his head before speaking once more "We've found you a family to stay with, a couple of hours away in the country side" Lupin spoke placing a hand on her shoulder and glancing across at her. Hermione merely nodded, shrugging his hand off and heading upstairs to grab her stuff, she had already packed up all of her stuff, not that she had much, merely clothes, books and the odd keepsake. Her wand tucked in the pocket of her jeans and everything else she was leaving behind, leaving behind so many beautiful memories here, it bought a tear to her eye but she ignored it and walked back down the stairs, her feet heavy as she trudged down the wooden stairs.

It killed her that she was now alone. Who else in the world did she have? Ron and Harry were gone, her parents didn't know she existed, and frankly she had never felt very close to members of the Order, she had no one. Hermione had never felt more alone at that point, the other relationships many saw as close friendships Hermione barely acknowledged as acquaintances. She had Ginny but the relationship since Hermione had broken up with Ron was strained to stay the least, as it was with most of the Weasleys, though she could understand that, who wouldn't take the family's side over friends?

Hermione sighed and met Lupin at the bottom of the stairs, she exchanged goodbyes with the few people, and promised to send letters once a month, she probably wouldn't but why cause more grief? So she just nodded at their requests and then headed to the door with Lupin, her hand on his arm as they left the warm confines of the Burrow into the cold air outside, she realized she didn't even know where they were going, however she didn't bother to ask, she would find out soon enough. Her hand clutched Lupins as they crossed the threshold and she gripped her backpack tightly as they apparated together, the sick feeling fell through her stomach and the burrow disappeared before her as she closed her eyes, her thoughts mute as she awaited her fate. _

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><p>an; So what did you guys think? Please review this story guys and tell me what you think. I know there's no Draco in this chapter but don't worry the next Chapter will have some Draco in, and some Draco/Hermione interaction. I hope you've enjoyed my story and I hope that you continue to read.

Song used; Happy Ending by Mika.


	2. Rehabilitation

[ **Hiding In Your Arms** ]

Fandom; Harry Potter

Pairing; Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger

Summary; 'None of us want you here, We're only doing this for the Order, Mudblood' 'Don't call her that' 'What? 'You heard me, don't call Granger that..' In a world filled with hatred, Can two find love?

Rating; M

Fic; Multi Fic

Disclaimer; I do not own the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling does.

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><p><em>Who I am from the start<em>

_Take me home to my heart_

_Let me go and I will run_

_I will not be silenced._

Everything was too slow, far too slow. It felt like weeks and weeks since the.. event, but in fact it had barely been a month. It felt to him like vast amounts of time had passed since being stuck on that Astronomy tower, clutching his wand for dear life as tears had streaked his cheeks. It felt like forever since he had last seen.. him. Maybe it was because Draco spent far too much time thinking about the time, more than often he would spend an entire day merely watching the clock, watching the hands turn, it wasn't healthy, even Draco knew that much; but what else was there to do?

The room they had been dismissed to felt too small, even though it was rather spacious. Draco constantly felt that the walls infact were closing in on him, squeezing his body into a pressurised crack before he could stop it. It made him feel sick to think he was trapped here for god knows how long. Maybe that was it, not that the room was too small or that the space felt too tight, it was because Draco knew he couldn't leave this place and that made him feel sick. He hated the feeling of being stuck, with no power of his own to change things.

He resented the Order for keeping him here and yet he felt a great deal of gratitude for them for doing as they did. In his refusal and fear to kill Dumbledore he had gained a price on his head, a rather large one in fact from Voldemort himself. He was surprised the Order had interjected when they did, but then again he was incredibly thankful that they took him in. To say he would have done differently in their place would have been true. They had taken his entire family in, and though some reluctance had been clear on Lucius's part, Narcissia had managed to convince him that Draco was more important than any social hierarchy, of course Draco still felt anger towards his Father in his way of wishing to stay by the Dark Lords side.

Of course being taken in as a 'Defected Family' by the Order came with a large price. It accounted for them being stuck here, Draco wasn't even sure where 'here' was. He knew they were in the country side, far away from the fighting, hiding it out in one of the Orders safe houses. Again Draco felt gratitude towards the fact that they had given up a safe house for his previously pro Voldemort family, it was strange to think they could be so kind in the face of people who had only ever been cruel and unfair to them.

Draco shook his head at his own thoughts, here he was now feeling thankful towards the scum that had taken him in. He near flinched at his own thoughts then, how odd. Draco had found with far too much time to think he had began to question his so called beliefs, the beliefs that his parents had drilled into him for as long as he could remember. The belief that the Order were below him, he wondered how they could below him when he in fact owed them so much. Draco knew it all came down to blood, but then again it seemed standing as Pure Bloods had done little to save them, he wasn't stupid in knowing if the Order hadn't stepped in he would simply be a body now, rotting in some disgusting, corpse ridden graveyard.

A small sigh left his lips and it somewhat broke the silence in the room. His eyes flickered up and met his Mothers; she didn't smile, and he wasn't surprised. They spent hours and hours the Malfoys, just sat around on their three separate beds, barely even speaking to one another. Draco knew Lucius resented him for failing his mission and forcing the family to leave their home and in a way he knew Narcissia resented him for it too though she didn't show it, he was only lucky enough to know that his Mother cared about him more than she ever had to the dark side.

"Draco are you hungry?" His Mother asked and it snapped him out of his thoughts. He shook his head towards her and offered her a small smile which she gladly took with one of her own. He was more than sure Lucius would be glaring at them now, but he ignored it. His Mother was really the only person he had left in this world and he knew he had to stay with her, that was the main reason he had even allowed himself to get so tangled with Voldemort, merely to save his precious Mothers life. If it had just been Lucius, Draco would have refused, refused to carry out any disgusting missions of murder and refused to have taken the ugly mark that he had been unsuccessful in getting rid of to date.

The mark itself did not pose any threat, he hadn't felt anything of it for weeks now, it was what the mark represented that repulsed him. It represented his idiotic and na ve way of falling in with the wrong crowd, well falling in with the worst crowd; the murderers of the Wizard World. He could only be thankful he had managed to escape when he did, regardless of any hate from his Father and a 100,000 Galleon price on his head. He near laughed then, who knew he would be worth so much? What had he done to be worth so much? He knew it was because he angered Voldemort and had managed to evade his clutches, something he knew did not sit well with the said Lord; Voldemort had a touchy spot their, in being defeated by those he deemed inferior.

Inferior? What did that word stand for now days? As a child Draco it had been constantly told that if you weren't pure in blood you weren't worthy. However, how was that possible? If he was so pure in blood, why had a Muggle Born been ahead of him in all his classes at Hogwarts?. Why had a Blood Traitor beaten him at Quidditch?, And why did a Half Blood have the guts to do something he couldn't? It all hurt Draco's head to think off, it was impossible to decide which side to take in this upcoming war. To decide if the ideas he had were his own or whether he was merely copying his Fathers way of thinking. Draco didn't wish to think of that now, he just wished to sleep, but it was early in the night and he did not wish for another morning wake up of 4am.

So instead of flopping back on his bed and succumbing to the beautiful sleep as he so wished, he groped for his wand. He sighed to himself as he rested back, merely muttering random yet small incantations under his breath, they calmed him some what and he near smiled to himself as he moved and glided his wand in front of him, it was all he really had to pass the time now days; his wand and his own muddled thoughts.

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><p>"How do you think they will take it?" Her voice was barely a whisper, and he noticed as her hand settled on the baby bump that barely defined her torso. A bitter smirk hitched his features and he glanced at her with a cold stare, he was not in the mood for explaining things, however he knew not to look down on his fellow Order member; she was just as well-respected and in some aspects as powerful as him.<p>

"Not well" The voice of Severus Snape was as cool and calculating as ever, as his eyes glanced to the door. His silencing spell fell away with a flick of a wand as he pushed the door open, and he sighed softly as his eyes met the three figures all sat around aimlessly; as usual. Ignoring the urge to roll his eyes, Severus glided forwards, forever the elegant being, he then stopped, dead set in the middle of the room before he heard Tonks shuffle in after him; silence never being her strong point as the door snapped with a loud bang.

"Wotcha Draco" He heard the voice of Tonks and was increasingly alarmed as Draco didn't respond as he thought. He expected the young Slytherin to sneer at the Metamorphmagus, rather than smirk at her comment as a friend would so do. Severus shook his head at the thought and turned to look at Lucius, who hadn't even taken the encounter between his distant relative and son, it seemed he had become very good at blocking out things he did so not wish to hear. Severus knew that what he was about to explain would be one of those things, but he highly doubted even Lucius's ability to drown out the important information he was about to relay.

A small sigh left his lips and he turned to glance at Draco once more, his eyebrows pulling up as he did so. He turned his head regardless to clash eyes with Lucius again. Severus did not find comfort in the fact that he would be breaking the news to the Malfoys, he knew of their beliefs and though he had once agreed with them all of those thoughts had fallen away long ago. He scowled and glanced across at Narcissia before his eyes flickered back to Lucius; it was time to spit it out.

"You will be receiving someone else to come and stay with you in the next day or so" He drawled, his features unchanging as he imparted to them the words he knew they did not wish to hear. "You will treat them with kindness, regardless of what you may think, it's essential she stays hidden, even more so than you three.."

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><p>Draco's head snapped up from its current gaze to the floor and he felt something, unsure of what it was he ignored it. Someone was coming to stay with them? Someone, anyone who wasn't a family member? He near smiled at the mere thought, the mere thought that finally he might have some company. Draco felt starved for the company of others at this point, he needed it. Needed it to distract him from his ever creeping and growing thoughts, he needed someone to stop his crazy mind reeling away at him. He would probably take anyone at this point, just about anyone.<p>

A small sneer threatened on his lips but he ignored it, it was a lie to say he would take anyone and he could only imagine the person that would steal through the door. It would be someone on the run, just as they were; maybe another Slytherin? Or possibly a Muggle Born family? Draco was unsure but he knew that it would count as a blessing, whoever stopped through that door. The silence that surrounded this room was killing Draco, he couldn't stand being alone with his own muddled and scared thoughts, even to have someone else here would distract from his confused and tattered beliefs, and he saw that as a sheer blessing.

"Who will it be?" He heard the voice of his Mother, and she didn't sound excited nor annoyed, she merely sounded tired as if she wished this could all be over with, he knew the war had taken its toll on his mother and he hated that, he hated that she could be so unhappy, and he wished than nothing more but to see a genuine smile grace her lips once more. However even Draco knew that asking someone to be even slightly happy among the difficulties of war, was asking of nothing short than a miracle.

Draco glanced upwards as he too felt intrigued about who would be staying with them, however he realized Snape would not be telling them, as otherwise he would have already. A small flicker of annoyance hit Draco as his thoughts were soon confirmed with Snape sweeping out of the room without a backward glance. He managed to meet his Cousins smile before resting his head in between his hands. They would surely know soon enough who would be staying with them, but until then he merely closed his eyes and allowed the silence to consume him once more.

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><p>"The Malfoys?" The hushed words left Hermione Grangers lips and she shook her head, her long brown frizzed curls cascaded down her back, breaking loose from her ponytail, and she didn't even bother to scoop it back up; far too distracted by the information Mr Weasley had just imparted too her. Hermione had known she would be going into hiding, and she knew it would have been highly unlikely for her to be placed alone, damn she would have proffered to be alone than to be placed with (as Mr Weasley had described them, a 'Defected family') Hermione shook her head, and glanced up at Lupin, in hope though she knew he could do little to help her in this current situation.<p>

Hermione's eyes flickered back to Mr Weasley and for a moment she felt pity. She could see the tired lines and the inkling of grey hitting his red hair. She noticed the look of worry and tiredness deep in his eyes, and she could understand why immediately; Ron had recently run off and the stress of the Order must have got to him. She knew he would be worrying constantly, and it scared her to think how different Mrs Weasley must have looked, at the prospect that any of her children would be hurt. Hermione shook her head though, even through the pity she felt anger, anger that the Order had placed her with a family so backwards and so evil in view they would give Lord Voldemort a run for his money.

The Malfoy's. She remembered them all well; Lucius with his cruel demeanour, and his manipulative sense to control the situation, Narcissa, though who she knew little about, she imagined her to be just as cruel and as cold as her husband, especially if the reputation she had was true. And then there was Draco, the boy who had ridiculed her from the moment she had hit the threshold of Hogwarts, the boy who in some aspects had made her push herself further, to prove she did belong at Hogwarts, to prove that her blood didn't matter if she was top of the class. A near snarl left her lips but she swallowed it, she was sure the Order knew what they were doing, regardless that they were sticking her in a room with prejudiced dark lord supporters.

Again her mind flickered to Draco and she shook her head, Harry had explained what had happened on the Astronomy tower and again the feeling of pity hit her. She couldn't imagine being put in such a horrific situation and yet she could only see that Draco had made all the wrong choices to get their, and in that she felt no pity, merely anger and annoyance at a boy who could have had it all, but instead decided to throw it all away on a set of out dated and rather stupid beliefs. A small part of her could imagine him, imagine him still cold and mean, the boy she had barely known at Hogwarts because of his unkind and unfair demeanour that made people feel useless and small. Of course Hermione had never broken and shown upset, but she had more than once felt it.

A small annoyed sigh left her lips and the feeling of resentment sunk in. How on earth was she supposed to hide for weeks and weeks in the same company as those people? She could only imagine the things they would say to her and the lines they would cross. A part of her knew that the Order had a reason for redeeming them but at this point she had gone past that, she had gone past hoping for them and she merely felt a large amount of annoyance and resentment towards them; even she knew it was unreasonable but at this point she didn't care, and she didn't want to care.

A scowl hit her features but she said nothing, she knew that she couldn't change this and it would be pointless to try. So instead of complaining as she so wished to do she moved forwards, her boots thudding against the floor as she followed Lupin's lead throughout the dingy and dark house, to say Hermione was unhappy would be somewhat of an understatement, in fact it would have been incredibly ridiculous to say Hermione was anything other than beyond upset. However she did a good job of hiding it as she waited at the door upon Lupin's instructions.

Her eyes flickered to the doorway, but she was unable to see through Lupin's place. It was dark and she could barely make out anything, however she did here Tonks, speaking softly to what Hermione assumed would be the Malfoys. A small flicker of hope hit her as she heard no arguing in the room, maybe the Malfoys had changed for the better? Or more than likely Tonks had yet to show who would be staying with them, Hermione could only guess how infuriated the family would be when they found they would have to share a room with someone they deemed a lesser being.

Hermione near snorted at that thought. She wasn't arrogant or narcissistic by any means but how could someone explain her as inferior? She was the top of the class at Hogwarts and she always excelled in everything she took an interest in, how could someone deem her a lesser person purely because of blood? A rueful smile hit Hermiones features; of cause that was it. It all came down to blood, that some believed her blood was dirty, that it contaminated her, that was always the issue; blood. An unchangeable aspect of anatomy, and yet she was discriminated against for it. Did her blood make her a dirty person? She didn't think so, but she knew many others, including the Malfoy's did.

"Come on Hermione" The words of Lupin snapped her out of her thoughts and she followed him into the dimly lit room, it was silent and that unnerved Hermione slightly, the silence seemed creeping as though it were an attacker in the night. Her eyes flickered but she was hidden by Lupin once more, unavoidably hidden from the Malfoy family, hidden from the people who she knew to hate her. Her wand held securely in her hand and she was sure if it came down to it, she would be able to hold her own in a fight. Draco would hold little problems for her and Lucius also, however she was unsure about Narcissa, she had never even met the women before and the fear of the unknown often trapped those in battle.

Hermione shook the thoughts away quickly as Lupin began to speak, she noticed he skirted around her name more than once, probably not to cause a fuss. Hermione stayed quiet, her body hidden by Lupins, she knew that stepping out now would just cause more problems and she owed a lot to the Order, she didn't want to mess things up for them. She sighed softly her eyes drifting shut for a moment or two, the world she wished swept over her vision again and a small, serene smile tweaked at her lips, oh how she wished to live in that untouched world; she so often dreamed about. Oh she so hoped that one day the world would seem untouched for the new generation, the generation who did not deserve the emotional scars the war had given her.

"Hermione Granger..." Lupin's voice appeared to boom through her ears and she quickly lifted her head as he stepped away from her. Her eyes were slightly glazed over and she quickly straightened up, shoving a lock of hair behind her ear and pulling down her shirt. She knew she looked a mess, the weeks of planning and worrying with Harry and Ron had caused a huge toll upon her and it was clear in her appearance; she was thinner than she had once been and her face once fresh and youthful now lined with worry and tiredness. She could only imagine what the Malfoy's thought of her, but she couldn't even bring herself to care as she stood in front of them, like a doll on show.

Her eyes snapped upwards and the sound of Lucius's outrage drowned in her ears, her eyes flickered around the room and she noticed Narcissa silent and yet stood by his side, the only Malfoy not to move was Draco who just stared at the floor, his head in his hands, however soon his posture changed and his head snapped up. Suddenly her eyes clashed with his, she should have looked away, he should have turned with a sneer but neither did. Instead his grey eyes board into her hazel ones, and for a moment the broken world seemed further away than ever.

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><p>an; Took me a while to update I know :/ but I have been on holiday guys! It was amazing in paris, and I'm gutted to be back in england :/ I miss waking up, stepping out of the hotel and seeing the eiffel tower! So here is the update, not loads of dramione action I know but that will all soon change!  
>Thank you to my lovely reviewers, you guys make me smile! Please continue to review the story guys, it gives me the motivation to keep going!<p>

Song used; Shattered by Trading Yesterdays.


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